The exchange of information between parties collaborating on joint projects has traditionally suffered from the limitations of the mode of exchange. During the time it takes for one party to deliver a document detailing that party's activities, several other collaborators may have contemporaneously engaged in activity on the project that drastically affects the first party's business interests. Similarly, the content of the information exchanged between some parties may be critically sensitive. A party may desire to share limited information with specific parties while preventing the distribution of that information with other collaborators. In such circumstances, retaining ownership of one's information is paramount.
One example of an industry in which collaboration on projects is integral to a successful business is the construction industry. In the construction business several subcontractors compete for opportunities to collaborate on construction projects under the supervision of a general contractor. A subcontractor must disclose project information to the general contractor and must constantly be updated on the progress of the project and of other subcontractors working on the same project. Information specific to one subcontractor must be shared with the general contractor but may be detrimental if shared with competing subcontractors. Thus, ownership of confidential information is critical in the construction industry. Because timing is critical in completing the construction projects, subcontractors must be aware of events as they occur during the life of the project.
Computers have greatly affected many industries by facilitating information management. Many industries are storing vast amounts of information in computers; however, the information is not readily accessible to multiple collaborators on multiple projects. Conventional approaches aimed at facilitating information exchange include having multiple project participants transmit information to a single individual. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of this approach. In FIG. 1 the subcontractors 125–135, architect 110, general contractor 115, and the engineer 120 transmit information relating to the project to a central database 105. An individual would then input the received data into a local computer. Access to the information would necessarily be through the one person entering the data into the computer. As a result, access to information by persons other that the person inputting the data is severely limited. Real-time availability of information is simply not possible in this scenario. Similarly, the information is specific to one project. A subcontractor working on multiple projects would have limited, if any, access to information on that one project and no ability to simultaneously access information on an enterprise level. Finally, sensitive data released to the individual inputting the information into a computer may no longer be the exclusive property of the individual transmitting the information. The issue of ownership of confidential business information is critically important because it allows one to regulate who has access to the data. Failing to retain ownership of the data may compromise competitiveness because once ownership of the data is lost, the ability to restrict access to the data is also lost.
Storing project information in a central database that permits collaborators to access the database remotely is an alternative conventional method of addressing the issue of data exchange between collaborators and is illustrated in FIG. 2. In this scenario, users 205 can remotely input project information from their own computer into a product provider system 215. For example, a subcontractor can establish contact remotely with the database using a computer with a modem coupled to conventional telephone lines and an interface 210. Once the contact is established, the subcontractor can transmit project data directly into the product provider system 215. The data can then be processed on the system containing the database 215. The information flows from the user 205 to the database 215 through an interface 210. This system has several disadvantages. Using this system, a collaborator cannot receive messages or information directly from other collaborators. The system manages information on a project specific basis. The information is generally available to collaborators in a “read-only” format. Because this system typically does not utilize a relational database, specific data structures must be used for archive and access purposes.
FIG. 3 is another example of a method of exchanging information between collaborators. The method of FIG. 3 allows users 305 to access a server 315 via the Internet 310 that manages as well as stores project information. This method is an example of using an Application Service Provider (ASP). ASPs range from simple free e-mail services to complex custom applications. An application resides on the ASP's Web site and, whenever the application is needed, it is accessed through a Web browser. Information is saved either to the ASP's server or to a local hard drive. Using this conventional method, information stored on the server 315 can relate to one or more projects but the information does not remain under the exclusive control of a collaborator. When multiple collaborators upload project information to a single database, the ownership of the data stored on the central database is unclear, and restricting access to confidential business information remains a problem. Once the project is completed, the stored information is typically no longer accessible by all collaborators because the application does not permit access to completed projects.
Conventional methods of exchanging information between multiple collaborators on multiple projects fail to adequately protect confidential business information, do not provide real-time information to collaborators, and lack the capacity to manage information for a single collaborator across multiple projects. Accordingly, there is a strong need in the art for a method and system to protect confidential business information during the exchange of information between collaborators. A further need exists for a method and a system for exchanging information between collaborators that facilitates the exchange of information between multiple databases using dynamic relational databases via an Application Service Provider model. There is an additional need in the art for a method and a system for exchanging information between collaborators that monitors changes made to documents by collaborators as the documents are exchanged. Another need exists for a method and system of exchanging information that enables a collaborator to access real-time information on a project. Yet another need exists in the art for a method and system of exchanging information between collaborators that enables a single collaborator to exchange information and monitor such exchanges for all of that collaborator's projects.